CHRISTIAN AID FESTIVE CAMPAIGN

Christian Aid’s Christmas campaign for 2023 is focused on a project transforming women’s lives in Bangladesh.

Val Brown, head of Christian Aid Scotland, says: “Two of my favourite Christmas texts are Isaiah 9 and Luke 1, more specifically, “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. They lived in a land of shadows, but now light is shining on them.” And, “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.”

“The reason these resonate so much, is because I think they encapsulate much of the fantastic work that Christian Aid partners do to bring justice, dignity and equality to people and to work with them as they garner their own agency to lift themselves out of poverty.

“At Christmas we turn our attention to the story of a young couple making a long and uncomfortable journey to Bethlehem. Without either the social or financial capital to secure lodgings, the son of God was born into poverty. Born to proclaim a different way, to a life that rooted justice at the heart of his ministry.

“In Kurigram, northern Bangladesh, one of the poorest districts and an area prone to the impacts of climate change, our Christian Aid partner is transforming women’s lives by empowering them with digital skills and mentoring on gender rights. Aid Comilla provides online business skills and e-commerce training so that women can sell and market their home-made crafts, giving them a vital source of income and enabling them to have choices in life.

“Twenty-one year-old Kakoli Khatun is one of those to have benefitted. Following training she’s now selling beautiful handcrafted quilts online. As one of Aid Comilla’s ‘change agents’, Kakoli then recruited and trained nine other women from her village to join her new business. She’s passionate about preserving nakshi kantha, the centuries-old Bengali art of quilt making. She said: ‘Nakshi kantha is from an old era. It’s getting lost and no one is paying attention. It’s very beautiful. If we can make it and sell it, we will earn and it will spread’.

“Kakoli is now earning a regular income and studying at college: ‘I didn’t have any dreams a few years ago because I didn’t have any money to do anything. To do something, I had to ask for money from my brothers and father. Today, I have a dream to grow this business so I can support my parents. I love this work.....I have a dream to make this business bigger’.

“Christian Aid’s support has enabled Aid Comilla to reach more than 5,800 women to date. This work is vital in ensuring that young girls have options other than early marriage.

“With your help we can train more young change-makers, provide more women with smart phones and build more internet hubs to connect them with a better future. In turn, these young women will go on to train others and light the path to change. Justice, dignity and equality are at the heart of this project.

“If you or your church are able, please consider supporting Christian Aid’s Christmas Appeal, or purchasing one of our charity gifts for your family and friends.

Please visit: caid.org.uk/shine

“As always we are grateful for the support you give us year round as you give, act and pray for a better world for all God’s people.”

In our November cover piece ‘A Privilege to Follow God’s Call’, a contribution and image was incorrectly attributed to the Rev Alasdair Nicoll, Deputy Chaplain-Chief (Operations) with HQ Air Command when it should have been attributed to the Rev (Wing Commander), Craig Lancaster, a Church of Scotland chaplain. We apologise for the error.